Rafting company strands 43 in Lehigh River

[outsider]

rrt:

Every forecast I saw on the internet and on tv before this storm event occured stated there was a very high probability of heavy rain and flooding. And the ground was already saturated. Not like this was a pop-up storm out of nowhere. A pretty major event.

 

[FarmerDave]

Bamboozle wrote:

FarmerDave wrote:
I did my own search for actual forecast for that day, for Allentown area, and all I could find was predicted showers and T showers. Chance of precip 86%.

What was more telling was the warnings I received via email from my home county of Berks.

I must have received at least 10 from Saturday through Monday all warning of flash floods in a multi county area due to the forecast which seemed tame unless you looked deeper into the projected accumulation estimates.

I am relatively sure the same warning system is in place for residents of Lehigh, Carbon & Monroe but whether the outfitter or their clients would have heeded the warnings is open to speculation.

I was out and about over the weekend and Monday and experienced four road closures in less than 4 miles due to flooding.

If I had exceptions on getting to the Poconos or Carbon County via my normal routes I would have had a very difficult time getting there. Even my old hood in Delco got absolutely clobbered with water rescues on suburban streets.

Heck all you had to do is catch the local news on TV or the Internet...!!

Anybody getting anywhere near any moving body of water with that reality staring you in the face is an idiot.

Uncle. ;-)

 

[poopdeck]

So what I'm reading now is the life threatening dangerous river rescue was actually walking kids up a bank. This has become a total non living on the edge rescue and non lawsuit worthy story of the year. It seems the media took children and weather, their two favorite stories, and combined them into something that really wasn't.

Cancel the water flow nazi, cancel the greedy business money grab and most importantly, cancel the name calling and let's rub some Ben-gay on those Knees to get them ready for the next overblown nothing.

 

[FarmerDave]

Oops, dup post. Please delete this one.

 

[FarmerDave]

ryansheehan wrote:
Dave, I read it again, don't see it that way.

What way? ;-)

All I did was ask what are the odds he was being sarcastic.

I was speaking about post number 4. I almost fell for the first part too, but the last line told me he was being sarcastic.

First part was a suggestion of more mollycoddling. Last line criticized mollycoddling.

IMO odds are pretty good that he was being sarcastic.

Man up. You were bamboozled.;-)

 

[FarmerDave]

poopdeck wrote:
So what I'm reading now is the life threatening dangerous river rescue was actually walking kids up a bank. This has become a total non living on the edge rescue and non lawsuit worthy story of the year. It seems the media took children and weather, their two favorite stories, and combined them into something that really wasn't.

Cancel the water flow nazi, cancel the greedy business money grab and most importantly, cancel the name calling and let's rub some Ben-gay on those Knees to get them ready for the next overblown nothing.

Don't know. Could be, but I wouldn't make that assumption, either.

Clearly the stories were all over the place. Google it.

145 rescued. Over 100 rescued. 46 rescued. 30 pulled from the water. etc, etc.

Here is another with some updates..

Apparently a few rafts blew past the takeout. This happens.

It isn't news anymore, so there likely won't be anymore updates.

Should they have gone out? My initial reaction to the initial report was hell no! But I knew initial reports at best incomplete, and often incorrect. So I reserved opinion.

My answer in hindsight is: probably not. Would I have still gone, especially if it was a scheduled trip and pre-paid? Hell yea! I may add something like this to my bucket list, right after parasailing (but not during a hurricane).

But last I checked, I am not a teenage girl or from a big city, but I am an old fat man.

Should they be sued? I wouldn't, but a lot of people would. They were minors so all had to have permission from their parents/gardians. That doesn't excuse everything though. But nobody got hurt aside from one who got some scrapes while climbing out of the water. I doubt that is sue worthy since this probably also happens on good days. But apparently they are from Brooklyn and therefore not Amish, so I wouldn't rule it out. ;-)

I look at it this way. The business is in the business of providing thrills. It's whitewater rafting! The kids were in it for the thrills and the company delivered. It wasn't a leisurely float on a lake in a duckboat. Now they have stories to tell for the rest of their lives. I bet many will do it again.

Bungee jumping? Now that I won't do. Like I said, I am an old fat man.

 

[bigslackwater]

alright, I'll play armchair rafting outfitter for a sec... I would've turned them away simply for their attire. Who the heck wears long skirts that touch the ground while rafting? (rhetorical question. I know the answer!)

 

[PennypackFlyer]

Looks like our forum has been trolled by the fake news.

 

[FarmerDave]

bigslackwater wrote:
alright, I'll play armchair rafting outfitter for a sec... I would've turned them away simply for their attire. Who the heck wears long skirts that touch the ground while rafting? (rhetorical question. I know the answer!)

Other than some anonymous responder to that last news article, who suggested turning them away for their attire? I sure wouldn't.

But to answer your question... Several different religious groups have very conservative garment restrictions. For example, Muslim, Amish, Mormon ...

Google "Burkini"

I respect everyone right to worship how they wish. Afterall, this is not France.;-)

 

[PennypackFlyer]

Are we sure they weren't there for a Baptism. Dunk their heads under water, let them float downstream - all are saved

 

[bigslackwater]

My point is, its not safe. Try swimming in an ankle length skirt. A skirt could easily get snagged on a limb or a rock just bellow the surface. I have total respect for religious freedom but this is not the kind of clothing you wear river rafting. I'm sure the rafting company thought the same thing but decided not to mention it because, what are you going to do, turn them away for not wearing pants or shorts ? There's another lawsuit. You have to wonder what their swimming experience is too. Seems like there were too many conflicting variables at play here and they just sent them down the river and hoped for the best. At least no one was killed.

 

[FarmerDave]

bigslackwater wrote:
My point is, its not safe. Try swimming in an ankle length skirt.

no thanks.

 

[PennypackFlyer]

Bigslackwater - stay calm, I'm sure they all had life jackets on.

 

[FarmerDave]

bigslackwater wrote:
My point is, its not safe. Try swimming in an ankle length skirt. A skirt could easily get snagged on a limb or a rock just bellow the surface. I have total respect for religious freedom but this is not the kind of clothing you wear river rafting. I'm sure the rafting company thought the same thing but decided not to mention it because, what are you going to do, turn them away for not wearing pants or shorts ? There's another lawsuit. You have to wonder what their swimming experience is too. Seems like there were too many conflicting variables at play here and they just sent them down the river and hoped for the best. At least no one was killed.

Seriously though...

IMO The decision is up to them.

For the most part, most were wearing SWIMWEAR suitable to satisfy their religions teachings. Sure, it isn't the best thing to wear when rafting through the tree tops, but that is up to them. There is and should never be any law against Burkinis in this country like they have in France. And no business should refuse them service for wearing them. Not even a bakery.;-) They can try to talk them out of it, but ultimately it should be their decision whether to honor or abandon their beliefs during the excursion.

They actually are a good compromise IMO.

Better than forcing them to wear spandex.

Look at the bright side. They have no rules against PFDs, and likely none of them broke out from poison ivy from crawled up the bank.

 

[bigslackwater]

I'll admit that I'm over-reacting about the skirts. I only see one person in the pics that has a skirt that is touching the ground. Most of the knee length skirts look safe and I'd be happy to attempt to swim wearing one

 

[AndyP]

Would anyone go rafting tomorrow based on the levels and weather forecast ? River is running 6700 at Lehighton according to USGS....

 

[Biomed-matt]

I went rafting today with my wife and 7 yo daughter. We did the family style rafting trip starting in Jim Thorpe and exited at bomansville. The river was much higher yesterday then today. I thought today would be a bust with the thunderstorms last night. My wife and I have been rafting before on the Gauley and the New river. we felt that the outfit that we used was very professional and safe. JMO

 

[AndyP]

Bio-Med Matt - I took a paddle down the upper section and all went well. Fishing was pretty hard as the flow was strong but it was a good to get outside and explore.

 

[timmyt]

What were you paddling in Andy and what was the flow? This was yesterday?

 

[Swattie87]

Were you in a knee length dress?

Just couldn’t resist the drag free presentation on that one.